NEW ORLEANS — Ronald McDonald House Charities® of South Louisiana (RMHC-SLA) provides housing at the Ronald McDonald House, on 4403 Canal St., to families of pediatric patients who have been sent to New Orleans from outside the city. Transportation in the city is provided to families, and a $40,000 donation from the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust enabled RMHC-SLA to purchase a new 12-passenger van that will ensure families and patients will have a comfortable ride to and from their medical providers.
“We serve families from all over the country and from around the world,” said RMHC-SLA Executive Director Corey Staehle. “Many do not have a vehicle when they come to stay with us, or they may not be comfortable driving around in an unfamiliar city. Having transportation available for our families is a critical part of our mission of keeping families close together during the most difficult time of their lives. We are extremely grateful to the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust for this new van, which allows us to fulfill that part of our mission with a high level of comfort and reliability.”
RMHC-SLA is a leader in facilitating family-centered care for pediatric patients undergoing medical treatment at New Orleans-area health care providers, reps said. RMHC-SLA supports families in the New Orleans metropolitan area by awarding scholarships to qualifying high school seniors through the RMHC Scholarship program, by providing free immunizations to un- and under-insured children through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program, and providing gifts, beverages, snacks and other comforting items to pediatric patients receiving care at Tulane Lakeside Hospital and Ochsner Medical Center.
